Re: Pseudonyms and bogus names on the Cal List (Rog)

"\Rog" wrote. >This is a nice bunch >of folks who have been trying to help each other and to avoid social >paranoia for about twelve years. Please join in and please, use your real >name so that we can begin to get to know you. Well, \Rog, if that really is your name, let me provide a slightly different perspective. It is true that the anonymity of the Web is used by some folks on some email lists and other forums to hide their identity. And this can be either out of caution, or because they feel less inhibited about "flaming" and other asocial behaviors if nobody knows who they really are. But as a long-time participant, I would argue that there are individuals that I have come to know in spite of their pseudonym or pen names or whatever they used. Exhibit A: Catman. I would argue that his contributions to the Cal List were long and wide and valuable. (Anyone who loves their RotoZip more than I love mine can't be all bad.) And we have regulars who are often known by something other than their "given" name: dEmO and Wilkie come to mind, as well as former member Rusty. So as much as I agree with being open and friendly, I would stop short of making the use of legal names a hard and fast requirement for participation on this list. If your friends all call you Squirrel, then by golly, if I should decide that I'd like to be your friend, then I'd hope to call you Squirrel, too. The Artist formerly known as "Alfred Poor" 1969 Cal 29 #132, "Pentaquod"